Jace Kahn and Dan Stinson could not state the case any better, nor any more fairly. Knowledge sharing is a truly civilized and gracious activity. We are hobbyists, not members of a trade or academic group harboring competing personal agendas.

I have a fairly large personal railroad reference library (and one of the largest such public facilities is just down the street). Although I know full well that the answers to many of the questions that I might, or actually do pose to this erudite list must reside somewhere on the bookshelves or in the stacks, I also realize at the same time that the answers might only come after hours or days of searching (time better spent building steam era freight cars!); and even then the facts will arrive totally without the benefit of being wrapped in the broad rich editorial context so common on this List. The high value of the latter should not be underestimated in any way. It is the heart of this effort IMHO.

Listers undervalue their own knowledge whenever the posted response to a question is an intimidating abrupt 'Look it up!'. It takes not a whit more effort for those who are in the know to simply give a short positive answer, while perhaps at the same time also pointing out the availability of the information in specific reference or references.

Denny
--
Denny S. Anspach, MD
Sacramento

Folks,



I have been casually following this topic and to me the answer is very
simple.



If asked for knowledge or research time that you have but are unwilling or
not able to due to time constraints, simply don't and move on. For those of
us who care to share, we will gladly take the time to do so to the best of
our abilities.



Should people stop asking because there is a mixed willingness to help,
absolutely not. Ask away as I have the option and the power to either jump
in and help or punch the delete key to leave you on your own or dependent on
the kindness of others.



I agree with the list moderator that it is time to move on and get back to
steam era freight car discussions and SHARING of information.



Hey, it is just my opinion and I may be wrong.



Allen Cain

Allen, You are not wrong, you are dead on the money. If you want to
help, help. If you don't want to help, then don't. To smugly accuse
someone of being a parasite is obnoxious as all hell and totally
uncalled for. Mike Farina

Boy, has this thread been turned on it's head.

The thread began with a question about a class of Southern Pacific
boxcars. In the process of providing a pretty detailed answer, Tony
Thompson said he would provide a reference to a book containing photos
off line so he wasn't accused of "Making someone buy a book.". WHERE
did anyone accuse anyone else of being a PARASITE!?

It is somewhat sad that a person providing the answer to a question
would feel constrained from publicly suggesting a reference, even if
he wrote it. None the less, I think it's clear that the list would be
far less useful if everyone with access to information declined to
provide it to anyone else. It has been a long time (if ever) since
anyone has essentially DEMANDED that entire book chapters be posted in
response to their questions, nor have I seen many examples in which
questions were answered with simply "buy this book" rather than at
least the basic information followed by a reference citation in case
the questioner wished more detail. Therefore it seems this topic is
mostly a lot agonizing about events that haven't happened!

Maybe we can get back to freight cars...

Pieter Roos

This is BORING!!!!!

Jerry Michels

Mike Farina wrote:

. . . You are not wrong, you are dead on the money. If you want to
help, help. If you don't want to help, then don't. To smugly accuse
someone of being a parasite is obnoxious as all hell and totally
uncalled for.

= = =

My goodness, how far off topic we got; no wonder the moderator was awakened. Let me clarify.

No one was "smugly accused of being a parasite." My original post was not directed at those who ask for help; it was directed at those who complain and whine about a helper who also suggests a reference source -- even a reference source in which he may have an economic interest.

Me, I want to hear about whatever sources a helper may tell us about. If he or she may derive some income from that, it's off-list and he/she has earned it. No one should feel inhibited from recommending any source, particularly the author(s) of that source.

Peter Weiglin
Amelia, OH